Buffer for motor vehicles



' Feb 26, 1924. wasps G. A. LYON BUFFER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Original Filed Jan. 19 1921 efgd ill

amnesm1 LYON} OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BUFFER FOB MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed January 19, .1821, serial No. 438,294. Renewed September 14, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon ALBERT Lyon, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, count of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, ave made a certain new and useful Invention Relatin to Bulfers for Motor Vehicles, of which t e following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the same.

This invention relates especially to resilient strip automobile buffers or bumpers of the eneral type covered by the Lyon Patent 1%0. 1,198,246 of September v12, 1916,

which shows in some of the buffers upwardly bent portions adjacent the overlapping connecting portions of the bufi'er strips. Since many automobiles are constructed with low hung frames, it is often desirable to bring atleast parts of the front or impact receiving members of the buffer up above the ouder supportin arms and for this purpose it is desirab e to form bent or arched up portions of the overlapping or reenforcing resilient stri s so that several upwardly arched or extending contact portions may he termed, preferably adjacent the clamping devices used to connect these overlapping reeatorcing front strips. It is also desirable in many cases to have these arched up or contact portions of the front stripswhich may be advantageously formed adjacent the strip ends in many cases twined or twist/ed around the coo erating connector portions of the bufier strips and one or both of these end portions may be twisted around the cooperating connector ortions so as to still further reenforce an strengthen the same when securely clamped or connected thereto and if desired a central clam ing device may also be used in some cases adjacent the central part of these overlapping front strips. In some cases the connector end portions of the front strips may be diagonally arranged so that when the bent or arched portion is arranged above, this connector end may fprm a downwardly projecting contact port on below the cooperating connector portion of the other resilient strip to which it may be clamped or connected as by a U-bolt or other clamping device. In many cases however a stronger and neater connection maybe formed by bending the end connector port-ion of the overlapping buffer strips into line with the cooperating connector portion to which it is clamped or connected. This also somewhat facilitates the lateral ad'ustment of the spring strip elements in ad usting the width of the buffer to fit difierent widths of automobile frames.

In the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way various illustrative embodiments of the invention. Fig. 1 is a front perspective view showing one form of buffer. 4 r

Fig. 2 is a corresponding view showing another arrangement; and

fFig. 3 shows a different adjustment there- 0 Figs. 4 to 7 are front perspective views showlng difi'erent illustrative bufiers; and

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

The vehicle buffer may advantageously he formed of two strips of resilient material such as tempered steel which may be onequarter to three-eighths of an inch thick and one and three-quarters to two and one-half inches wide more or less and each stri may if desired be formed with integral en loop resilient portions and attachln arms or portions adapted to be clampe or otherwise connected to the vehicle. The front or impact receiving portions 2 of the bufier may for instance be formed integral therewith the end loop 3 and the attaching arm 4, while the other front strip may have a corresponding end loop 5 and attaching arm or member 6. These bufier front strips preferably have upwardly bent or arched portions such as 8, 11 which may be most conveniently formed adjacent the ends 9, 12 of the strip as by bending or arching upward a limited portion of the overlapping spring strips adjacent their ends, so that upwardly extending contact portions may be formed extending several inches above the normal or straight lateral portions 1, 2 of the louder front. It is desirable in many cases to bend the end connector portion or each of these front strips substantially into line with the cooperating connector portion of the other strip to which it may be connected, so that these substantially straight overlapping ends 9, 12 several inches long may be provided for engagement with theclamping or securing devices 14, 15 which may advantageously be of the general type described in said atent. By having the upward arch or icon start at such a point as 7 adjacent the center of the butler front, a pleasing appearance is produced by the overlapping iagonal contral portions of the bufier, which may if desired be connected by a clamping device such as 13, rigidly bolting together these diagonally overlapping portions such as 16. It is also in man twine one or hot of these ends or buffer front strips by twisting them around the cooperating connector ortions of the other spring stripeand for instance, the connector end 9 may twisted or bent around in front of the cooperating connector portion or strip 1, while the connector end 12 maybe bent or twisted around behind the cooperating con nector portion 2 of the buffer front. This 1 gives a still greater strength and rigidity and if desired these connector ends may be preliminarily forced or clamped together before the clam ing or connecting devices of any suitable c aracter are put in place and tightened thereon. 1 Of course, this arrangement allows the front strips to be laterally adjusted with respect to each other and a number of inches of lateral adjustment may be secured so as to enable the buffer to fit the usual widths of commercial automobile frames. v

This is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in which generally similar upwardly arched buffer ends are shown as secured together in mutually reenforcing position but without intertwining or twisting the strip ends around the cooperating connector portionsas shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 the attaching members 4, 6 are shown as somewhat widely se arated so that the central diagonally over apping portions meet at their upper edges at the point 19, considerably above the level of the comparatively straight lateral portions 17, 18 of the buffer front strips. When however, the strips are forced together considerably more as shown in Fig. 3, this central meeting point 20 is somewhat lower although the same general double arched or intertwined contour of the buffer front is still present. Any suitable form of clamping or connecting device may of course be used to connect t ese overlap ing reenforced portions of the bufier ront and one piece malleable iron or wrought steel clamps of the type shown in said Lyon patent are shown at 20, 21 for this purpose.

Fig. 4 shows another arrangement in which the buffer front strips 23, 24 which may be connected to the supporting members 4, 6 in any suitable or desired way may have formed adjacent their ends the upwardl bent or arched portions 25, 26 which may have diagonally arranged connector portions, so as to have downwardly projecting ends 28, 29 that may if desired extend considerably below the cooperating end portions or other strips to which they are clamped or connected. A simple and desirable form of connecting device for this purpose may comprise the two U-bolt concases desirable to inter-- means? nectors 30, 31 which may extend through these dia onall arranged connector ends and be tig tene as by nuts 23, so as to form a tight connection and pleasing appearance especially when both of the straight or level connector portions are arranged in front as illustrated. A lateral adjustment of the buffer front elements is possible in the same way in this case with a corresponding variation in the height of the meeting point 27.

Fig. 5 shows another arrangement in which the upwardly arched portions 36, 27 are arranged at some distance from the ends of the front strips. One of these resilient front'strips 33 may for instance, have an upwardly bent or arched portion 36 extending upward an inch or so beyond the normal height of the strip and returning to this original level at about the point 44 adjacent the middle of the buffer front. The rest of this front strip may be straight as indicated so that its end 40 coincides in direction with the cooperating connector portion 34 of the other strip. The other strip 34 may have a corresponding upwardly arched portion 37 and straight end portion 38, 39, so that these overlapping reenforclng portions may be conveniently clamped together as by the end clamps 41, 43 and also if desired have a center clamp 42 of any suitable construction Fig. 6 shows another arrangement in which the upwardly arched or bent contact portions are arranged outside or be 0nd the connecting or clamping devices, t e front strip 45 having for example an upwardly arched or bent portion 46 adjacent its end 47 which may as indicated be twisted around back of the cooperating connector portion 48 of the other strip. This other front strip 48 may have a similar upwardly arched r bent ortion 49 adjacent its end 50, which may e arran ed behind the other front strip 45 and if desired clamped or connected thereto in addition to the adjustable connecting or clamping devices 51, 52 encircling these strips inside of the upwardly arched or projecting clamping portions in this instance.

Fig. 7 shows still another arrangement in which the upwardly extending contact portions are substantially straight or level and may if desired be arranged substantially in edgewise alignment with the cooperating portion of the other bufi'er front strip. One 1 of these front strips 53 may for example have a bent or twisted portion 59, so t at the end portion 60 of the strip is brought substantially into the same vertical plane as the adjacent portion of the other strip 54 the lower edge 61 of this end 60 being su stantially in contact with the 11 per edge with the stripl below. The bu or frontstrip 54 may a ve a correspondingly bent' portion 55 so as to carry the end 56 of this aaeaosv strip up above the corresponding portion of the other front strip 53, the curved end 57 being formed on this stri if desired which may have its lower e go 58 substantially in engagement with the u per edge with the stri below if this is desired. A special form 0 clamp shown in Fig. 8 may be used to connect these strips in edgewise overlapping position and one of these clamps 62, 63 may encircle the two strips 53, 56 and be tightly clamped around them as by the bolt 65, so as to securely hold the parts in this position in connection if desired with any other form of connecting and clamping device.

his invention has been described in connection with a number of embodiments, forms, proportions, parts, arrangements, materials, methods of connection and use, to the details of which disclosure the invention is not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim a 1. The automobile buifervconsisting of two integral spring steel strips havin greater vertical width than thickness an each comprising an attaching member, an intermediate end loop and an impact receiving bufier front member arranged in overlapping reenforcing cooperation with the other front member of the buffer, each of said bufier front members comprising an upwardly arched contact ortion adjacent its end and having its end connector portion bent substantially into line with the cooperating connector portion of the other bufi'er front member, each of said end portions being twisted around the other buffer front member and encircling clamping members connecting said cooperating connector portions in laterally adjusted intertwined position.

2. The automobile bufi'er consisting of two integral spring steel strips having greater vertical width than thickness and each comprising an attachin member, an intermediate end loop and an impact receiving bufi'er front member arranged in reenforcing cooperation with the other front member of the buffer, each of said buffer front members comprising an upwardly arched contact portion adjacent its end and having its end connector portion bent sub stantially into line with the cooperating connector portion of the other buffer front member, and clamping members connecting said cooperating connector portions in laterally adjusted position.

3. The automobile buffer comprising two integral resilient steel strips having greater vertical width than thickness and each comprising an attaching member, an intermediate end loop and an impact receiving louder front member arranged in reenforcing cooperation with the other front member of the buffer, each of said buffer front mem bers comprising adjacent its end a bent up portion extending above its end and attaching member and havin its en connector portion bent substantially into line with the coo crating connector portion of the other bu er front member, at least one of said end ortions being twisted around the other bu er front member and clamping devices connecting said cooperating con nector portions in laterally adjusted position.

4. The automobile bufi'er com rising two integral resilient'steel strips an each comprism an attaching member, an intermediate en loop and an im act receiving bufier front mem er arrange in reenforcing coolperation with the other front member of t e buffer, each of said buffer front members comprising adjacent its end a bent up portion extending above its end loop and attaching member and clamping devices connecting said cooperating connector portions in laterally adjusted osition.

5. The automobi e buffer comprisingresilient steel strips and comprising an attaching member, an intermediate end loop and an im act receiving buffer front member arrange in reenforcmg cooperation with the other front member of the buffer, each of said bufier front members comprising adjacent its end a bent up portion extending above its end loop and attaching member and clamping devices connecting said coopcrating connector portions in laterally ad- 1 justed osition.

6. T e automobile buffer formed of resilient steel strip having greater vertical width than thickness and'comprising cooperating members each having an end loop and an impact receiving bufier front member arranged in overla ping reenforcing cooperation with the ot er front member of the bufier, each of said builer front mem bers comprising an upwardly arched contact portion adjacent its end and an end connector portion bent substantially into line with the coo crating connector ortion of the other bu er front member a jacent its end loop and encircling clamping members disengageably connecting sai cooperating connector portions in laterally adjusted position to fit difierent width automobile frames.

7. The automobile buffer formed of re= silient steel strip having ter vertical width than thickness and comprising cooperating members each having an end loop and an impact receiving bufier front member arranged in overla ping reenforcing cooperation with the ot er front member of the buffer, each of said bufier front members comprising a vertically bent contact portion &

operation with the other front member of the buffer, each of said buffer front members I comprising a vertically bent contact portion and an end connector portion bent substantially into line with the cooperating connector portion of the other buffer front member,

and clamping members connecting said 00- operating connector portions.

9. The automobile buffer formed of steel stri having greater vertical width than thic ness and comprising cooperatin members each having an attaching mom 1', an intermediate end 100 and an impact receiving buffer front mem r arranged in overlapping reenforcing cooperation with the other front member of the buffer, each of said bufi'er front members comprising a vertically bent contact portion adjacent its end and an end connector portion bent substantially into line with the cooperating connector portion of the other bufier front member, and clamping members connecting'said cooperating connector portions.

10. The automobile buffer comprising two inte l resilient steel strips having ater vertical width than thickness and eac comprising an attaching member and an im act ortions greater vertical width than thickness and each comprising an end loo and an im act receivin buffer front mem r arrang in reenforcmg cooperation with the other front member of the bufier, each of' said buffer front members comprising an upwardly arched contact portion, and clamping members connecti in laterally ad usted position.

12. The automobile buffer comprisin resilient steel strips and comprising attac ing members and an impact receiving buffer front member arranged in reenforcing co operation with another front member of-the' buffer, each of said bufier front members comprising a bent up curved ortion, and clampiizig devices connecting said cooperat ing u er front members in laterally adjusted position.

,13. The automobile buffer comprising re.- silient steel strips and comprising an im act receivin buffer front member arrange in reenforcmg cooperation with another front member of the buffer, one of said buffer front members comprising a bent up curved portion, and clamping devices connecting said cooperating bufl'er front members in laterall adjusted position.

14. he automobile bufier formed of resilient steel strips having greater vertical width than thickness and comprising coopcrating members each havin an and loop and an impact receiving bu er front member connected in overlapping reenforcing cooperation with the other front member of the bufier, each of said buffer front members comprising an upwardly arched contact por-' tion and an end connector portion bent sub stantially into line with the coo crating connector portion of the other bu er front member adjacent its end loop.

15. The automobile buffer com rising two inte al resilient steel strips an each com-. prising an end loop and an im act receiving buffer front member connecte in reenforcing cooperation with the other front member of the bufi'er, each of said bnfier front mem bers comprising adjacent its end a bent up portion extending above its end 100 GEURGE ALBERT IE'ON.

said buffer front members I 

